Published

A “Teachers’ Principal”

I had the fortune of hearing Todd Whitaker speak this week. Two years ago I attended his keynote at NAESP in Baltimore. His message never gets old. Having him at our district’s leadership conference this week was a great way to bring closure to the school year and provided motivation in planning for next year.

After listening to his words of wisdom, I am even more committed to being a “teachers’ principal.” What is a teachers’ principal and why does it matter? The term “players’ coach” gets used often in sports. The term generally refers to a coach who has a good relationship with his/her players. When making decisions about their team, players’ coaches give consideration to how their choices will impact the entire team.

The analogy connects well with teaching and leadership. Principals who apply Todd Whitaker’s advice to “make decisions based on their best teachers” are subconsciously utilizing a teachers’ principal approach to leadership. Being a teachers’ principal is not about delegating away responsibility. A teachers’ principal recognizes that the whole is greater than its parts. A teachers’ principal gives great thought to each and every initiative they foster.

Teaching is arguably the best and most challenging job there is. Principals have an immense influence on the success of their teachers and students. Principals who get to know the strengths and needs of their staff can tailor their professional development efforts to grow each and every teacher.

Participation, not indoctrination- everyone should have a role in the professional development efforts in a school.

Exploration, not prescription- PD should be individualized for teachers and specific to their content areas.

Contextualization, not abstraction- PD should be practical, meaningful, and immediately useful in the classroom.

Iteration, not repetition- the choices that schools make related to PD should be examined regularly and adjusted based on their success and specifically their outcomes related to student achievement.

Principals who view themselves as a “teachers’ principal” find that adult learning flourishes in an environment that uses individual strengths to build overall teaching capacity. Thanks to Todd Whitaker for reinvigorating my commitment to being a better principal, a teachers’ principal. It’s still June, but I’m looking forward to August already. Let’s go!